The Chesterfield football history resource

If ever a problem became an opportunity to be grasped with
both hands, then the problem of Tony Lormor's transfer request was one. A week
after the popular forward went on the list, the deal to bring David Reeves from
Preston to Saltergate was done, Tony going to Deepdale along with around
£100,000 in cash, and the promise of more, linked to appearances. An earlier
enquiry for David's transfer saw a £250,000 price tag slapped on him by North
End, and Lormor's value to the Spireites was in excess of £50,000, so his
transfer constitutes a record, of sorts, for Chesterfield.

The twin brother of Wimbledon's Alan Reeves, David was born
in Birkenhead in 1967 and was taken on by Sheffield Wednesday from the junior
side Heswall in 1988. A permanent move to Bolton in 1989 saw him make 111
starts for the Trotters, scoring 29 times, but it was as a Carlisle player that
he came more to our notice, playing 127 times and scoring 47 goals, including
scoring both in Carlisle's 2-1 win here in 1995 that condemned us to a play-off
meeting with Mansfield. For that, David - many thanks!

David made an immediate impact, scoring in his first two
games after his transfer here to build an instant rapport with the fans. He
held the ball up well, was an excellent finisher with a strong shot, and
possessed an enormously energetic work-rate. He remained hugely popular with
the fans through a traumatic 1999-2000 season, which very nearly saw him sold
to Stoke City on transfer deadline day. At the time, he was one of the club's
few remaining saleable assets, and the lack of a reasonable offer of a new
contract from the club made the deal inevitable. It fell through minutes before
the deadline when two Stoke players refused to make the opposite journey on
loan until the end of the season. Weeks later, Duncan and Randall were on their
way and Reeves was retained.

Promotion from the Third Division followed after one season,
but at a huge cost. The expensive new contracts given by manager Law and
Chairman Brown to the likes of Reevsie were a millstone round the neck of the
club, which had fallen into administration after Brown's abrupt departure and
was being run by a supporters' trust. Costs had to be cut, and Reevsie had to
go. Oldham stepped in and made him an offer. Mark Allott and Mark Innes came
the other way and the club saved money on the deal.

After a good start David struggled at Boundary Park and,
when Dave Rushbury needed experience in his side, Reeves made a surprising
return to Saltergate. Physically, he wasn't the same player that tormented the
Spireites for Carlisle in May 1995, but his experience and infectious spirit
counted for much in two consecutive successful struggles against relegation.
Eventually, though, the need arose for a more physically effective presence up
front and David was released in the summer of 2004. Supporters met the news
with sadness, but little surprise.

David has moved around the local non-league circuit since
leaving us for a second time. Having left the position of asssitant to Marcus
Ebdon at Alfreton Town at the end of the 2006-7 season, David signed for Sutton
Town for the 2007-8 season. By the turn of the year he was at Gainsborough
Trinity, serving as Assistant Manager to Paul Mitchell. In recent years David
has moved away from active involvement in the game, entering into a player
agency and personal management business with Steve Blatherwick. David still
attends Chesterfield games on a regular basis.